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Surry planners present Route 31 corridor draft as residents push for separated bike path
Summary
Planning staff briefed the commission on a draft Route 31 Corridor Opportunities Report and related comprehensive-plan updates; a resident urged a separated off-road bike/pedestrian path instead of widening Route 31, citing high vehicle speeds and safety concerns.
The Surry County Planning Commission on the meeting reviewed a draft Route 31 Corridor Opportunities Report produced with assistance from a Virginia APA pro bono team and a private planning firm, and heard public calls for safer bike and pedestrian infrastructure along the corridor.
Mr. Wade, who presented the draft, said the document was produced with outside planner input and county staff and is intended as a draft companion to the county's comprehensive-plan update. "What you see before you is a draft version of that," he said, noting the package was provided separately so commissioners could compare the corridor report to the comprehensive plan.
Resident Tim Calhoun of the Story District asked the commission whether plans call for widening Route 31 or creating a separate off-road path. "If you widen 31, I don't care how wide you widen it, it opens up, to my personal opinion, Indy 500," Calhoun said, adding that he frequently sees vehicles well over the posted 55 mph limit. He recalled an earlier effort to create an off-road lane and said his preference remains a detached path for pedestrians and cyclists.
Planning staff responded that commissioners and planners have discussed both options and expressed a clear preference for separated facilities. Ms. Cowell, speaking during the exchange, said planners heard from the community that they "wanna have separate bike lanes" and argued that widening travel lanes can encourage higher speeds and reduce safety for cyclists. Mr. Wade said the county will coordinate with VDOT and planners to refine an approach that balances safety and feasibility.
Why it matters: Route 31 runs through town centers and rural stretches where residents and commissioners noted vacant and underused sites (examples cited in the report included Bacon's Castle and Chippokes State Park). The corridor decisions will influence where and how multimodal infrastructure and redevelopment happen.
Next steps: The Route 31 Corridor Opportunities Report remains a draft for review alongside the comprehensive-plan update; staff said they will consider public comments submitted by email and at a scheduled open house and return with recommendations for the commission to review.
